One of the many myths in the world of nutrition and fitness I would love to debunk is the one pertaining to “carbo-loading” for energy, whether that is before or after activity. It simply isn’t the most efficient way to (re)fuel especially if you want that energy to be sustainable.
It’s true that the building block of a carbohydrate is glucose, or sugar in its simplest form, which tends to be your body’s fastest form of fuel. But to focus on carbohydrates (especially without the presence of healthy fat and protein), can send your blood sugar out of whack.
Exercise aside for a second, the Empower Bar was created with blood sugar balance in mind. Meaning on a macronutrient level, it primarily contains healthy fats and protein and little carbohydrates (12g protein; 3g net carbs; 2g sugar). The former two elicit a minimal if not negligible insulin release, keeping blood sugar balance in check, whereas other bars a loaded with sugar, and create a large insulin spike, triggering that blood sugar spike and crash cycle.
Now back to your workout, this is especially important for recovery. During intense exercise, cortisol (your stress hormone) spikes, which naturally raises blood sugar, and insulin increases in response. Eating carbs after exercise will just exacerbate an insulin spike (and therefore the subsequent crash), whereas eating an Empower Bar with its healthy fats and protein can help stabilize blood sugar levels and help with muscle repair after exercise.
It is pretty common to eat a bar after exercise, especially when on-the-go and amidst a busy day. I hope the Empower Bar offers a more blood sugar balancing option for you, keeping you energized for hours as food should do!
